Ana Rita Simões

Ana Rita Simões is a Collaborator at CIBIO-InBIO, Universidade do Porto, and holds international academic affiliations as a Visiting Professor at Ghent University (Belgium) and as a Taxonomist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK). She is also an Associate Researcher at the National Museums of Kenya. Her research is centered on plant systematics and biodiversity, with a focus on tropical regions including Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and South America.

Her primary research interests lie in the systematics, biogeography, and evolution of Convolvulaceae—the plant family that includes sweet potatoes, morning glories, and bindweeds. With extensive fieldwork experience across the tropics, she conducts taxonomic studies to understand species diversity and evolutionary patterns. Her work integrates morphological and molecular approaches to classify and conserve plant biodiversity.

Ana Rita Simões completed her PhD through a collaborative program involving the University of Reading, the Natural History Museum of London, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. She has pursued post-doctoral research in Singapore, Brazil, and Belgium, building a strong international research network. She is currently involved in ongoing projects in Kenya, Ghana, and Guinea, contributing to regional botanical knowledge and conservation.

She is affiliated with the BEPE research group at CIBIO-InBIO and participates in global biodiversity initiatives. Her work supports the scientific mission of institutions such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the National Museums of Kenya, promoting taxonomic expertise and capacity building in biodiversity-rich countries.